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NEWBERRY — The Newberry Panthers defeated the Palatka Panthers in a sweep, 25-21, 25-17, 25-22, Wednesday.
It was a Panthers vs. Panthers volleyball matchup, an expected competitive one as both teams entered with winning records.
The Newberry Varsity Volleyball team is getting ready to take on Palatka tonight! #newberryvolleyball #panthers pic.twitter.com/KloR1Gcx0O
— Izabela Gonzalez (@IzaGonzz) September 18, 2024
Before Battle
Newberry was trying to stop a skid the included back-to-back losses and five defeats in seven matches. Newberry, which lost four top players to graduation, returns a gritty team with talent across the board, from a superstar freshman to a multi-sport senior.
The team leaders going into the match:
- Malana Kennard (6.1 digs per set, 276 total digs)
- Chloe Jones (2.2 kills per set, 94 kills)
- Baylee Akers (46 blocks)
- Sarah Priester (50 serving aces, 1.1 aces per se, 194 assists)
- Livi Clanton (0.233 hitting percentage)
Game Time
Newberry, with starters Malana Kennard, Chloe Jones, Baylee Akers, Meadow Moses, Sarah Priester, McKenzie Moses and Livi Clanton, was unstoppable against Palatka (9-7.) Newberry (10-7) was on fire from the start to win the first set 25-21.
The team’s momentum continued into the second set for a win of 25-17 with consistent two-plus point leads.
The third set was a bit of a roller coaster ride and it started with Palatka in the lead. After a timeout, Newberry was able to come together and win the set 25-22 with an ace by Olivia Tharp.
The match featured outstanding performances from Akers and Priester.
Akers is starting as a freshman for good reason. She had multiple kills in Set 3, which featured her teammates chanting “She’s a freshman!” whenever Akers made a key play. Akers has a bright future in the sport.
Priester, a senior, is a multi-sport athlete who is a beast on the court and on the diamond. She plays volleyball year-round while also playing softball in between. Priester’s versatility as an athlete was on display on multiple power serves.
The Panthers dominated Palatka tonight in three straight sets with a nail-biting final set that ended 25-22! #newberryhighschool #panthers pic.twitter.com/dAmAV36P70
— Izabela Gonzalez (@IzaGonzz) September 19, 2024
Thoughts from Coach Rone
“We needed this win. We’ve had some tough losses this year and we really needed to finish it in three and I couldn’t be more proud of the girls.” — Coach Hank Rone
Up Next
Newberry will host Mayo Lafayette (13-0) at 7 p.m. Monday.
